Zinc Oxide
Mineral UV filter · INCI: Zinc Oxide
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Zinc Oxide comedogenic?
No. Zinc Oxide isn't considered pore-clogging, and we read it as safe to use on acne-prone skin. That doesn't make it right for everyone, but congestion isn't the thing to watch for with it.
Why we read it this way
Zinc oxide is a mineral UV filter, an inert powder that sits on the surface and scatters light. It has no oil content of its own, and zinc compounds are generally regarded as calming for acne-prone skin rather than congesting.
The nuance
Mineral sunscreens still break people out, and it is usually the base rather than the filter. A high-percentage zinc sunscreen needs a lot of emollient to spread, so the vehicle is the part worth checking.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: What causes acne.